Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

UK News reviewed by The Bitch! (a weekly column)

Well darlings,They're back! No, no - I'm not on about another Poltergeist film. It's the official news that Mike, Matt and Pete (Stock, Aitken And Waterman - SAW) are at it again - together. The most successful pop songwriter/producer partnership in the world - ever! - have reunited after 14 years. Contrary to what we may have read in the tabloids, the three men have apparently remained friends. . .

Why Are Americans Treated Differently in Japan?

Raw Deal! Why Are Americans Treated Differently by JapaneseImmigration and the Media?"U.S. citizens planning to work in Japan should never enter Japanusing a tourist visa or the visa waiver, even if they have beenadvised to do so. Such actions are illegal and can lead to arrest,incarceration and/or deportation."--from a pamphlet at the Japanese consulate in Seattle"The Catch 22 is: if Americans. . .

A Lesson in Sustainability

Scientists are currently conducting a study on loblolly pines. The study utilizes a ring of carbon dioxide generators that surrounds patches of these trees. The purpose of the study is to determine the effect of an increase of CO2 in the air on these pine trees.So far, they have noticed that the trees seem to be growing and reproducing much faster than before. They are also developing more need. . .

The Balance of Lives

George Bush is ready to spend $7.5 billion dollars to protect the US from a disease that currently poses no danger and has so far killed no Americans, and only 62 people worldwide. Meanwhile, Bill Gates, much maligned by the media and internet geeks, is spending over $258 million in research toward Malaria, a disease which kills 1.2 million every year.Of the $258 million that Mr. Gates is spend. . .

Insurance 101 - Undermining America for the Good of Ameri...

Insurance is like a myth. From one small seed of truth, a fairytale the size of 1000 giant sequoias has sprung up. Reality is blocked from view. Surely, you’ve noticed all the giant, sequoia-like buildings are owned by banks and insurance companies. Where do they get all that money? How much money do the executives make? Who pays for it all? Grab a mirror. “Magic mirror on the wall, who’s the b. . .

UK News reviewed by The Bitch! (a weekly column).

Well darlings,That's the season over again for another year in Blackpool and the preliminary autopsies are already out. It seems it hasn't been a disaster, but it certainly hasn't been that good either. The council and Blackpool Tourism have come under a lot of criticism for not doing enough to attract new blood to the resort, with their TV advertising campaign described as being "too little, t. . .

Recent California Election: a Cash Cow Tipping Contest

Woops, my cynical prediction may have actually come true. The inmates are running the asylum in California. The recent California special election was completely controlled and the outcome dictated by government employees. They may work for all of us, but they also get to approve what goes into law.About ten years ago, I had an epiphany. I noticed that real jobs kept disappearing and governm. . .

How Can We Convince Immigrants to Learn English?

Even though they are able to live here without it.Everyone in the world knows that English is the language spoken in the U.S. and most immigrants are prepared to learn it. But when they arrive, many of them (especially Spanish speaking) find signs and other information in their own language and quickly realize that they don't have to learn more than a few words of English. It is completely unde. . .

When We Help Immigrants, We Help Ourselves

And some of the benefits are immediate!Almost all of us who are not immigrants, are descended from immigrants. The United States was built by immigrants and it will always be a country of immigrants. When we think of Chinese, Italians, Germans, English, French, etc. we picture distinct people, cultures, food and languages. When we think of Americans, we picture a combination of all the other co. . .

To Serve - or Not

Shall I serve? If I serve, who shall I serve? The young person, regardless of educational achievement, is seldom taught to ask and answer these most basic questions before others are supplying the answers. The Bible says the choice boils down to serving God or money. For most people, the distinction is easily lost. In most cases, the distinction was lost on their parents and grandparents for th. . .

Watch What You Say!

Repeat after me: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Mil. . .

Physics and the Bible Both Suggest Natural Causes for Glo...

Global warming is one of the most contentious issues in the news today. Sadly, the facts on the subject are clouded by non-scientific issues. Conservatives/creationists often fear that accepting global warming as fact implies an acceptance of liberal/evolutionist/old earth doctrine. Scientific/intellectual types may feel that rejecting global warming is tantamount to being unscientific or, wors. . .

Since Katrina, the Environment Is Front-Page News

Ever since the end of August, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the major American city of New Orleans and the coastlines of Louisiana, Mississippi, and parts of Alabama, the consequences of environmental degradation have been front-page news. Politicians and ordinary citizens are openly discussing what scientists have believed for years: that the widespread destruction of wetlands along the G. . .

A Solution to Poverty?

Poverty.Ask any liberal, and they will tell you that the solution is simple: The Government needs to invest in programs to help the poor help themselves; to give them a hand up — and a hand out — in order to get them through this dark period in their lives.Ask any conservative, and they will also tell you that the solution is simple: The poor don’t need a hand out or a hand up. They need to tak. . .

What Would We Do if All the Illegal Immigrants Left?

Could we afford to live here if they all left?There are several proposals for immigration reform being discussed now. They say they will solve the problem of so many illegal immigrants coming to and staying in this country. Some are offering amnesty, others guest worker cards, others temporary cards. Some people are talking about rounding them up and sending them all back to where ever they cam. . .

Using Buttons and Badges Effectively in a Political Campaign

Political campaigns can be tense and stressful. There is so much to do and often not enough time to do it. If you are a candidate or campaign manager, you should not be without a button maker machine. These machines will help you with some of the most critical areas of your campaign - getting the word out, addressing issues, and rallying support. Not only will buttons help acknowledge the issue. . .

Do We Teach Our Children to Lie?

As I write this, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the Vice Presidential Chief of Staff under President Bush has been indicted under five counts of lying, perjury and obstructing justice. I do want us to be clear on the meaning of the word "indicted." It doesn't mean convicted or proved. It means there is a formal charge against someone for committing a serious criminal offense.There are many ways in whic. . .

Real Leadership -- Stability In A Sea Of Change

Civil war in Africa. This simple four word phrase seems to sum up the perception of most outsiders throughout the world when asked about the state of affairs on the African continent, the birth place of mankind. In the last 40 years twenty countries, or almost 50 percent of all nations south of the Sahara, have experienced at least one period of civil war. This state of affairs has stereotyped . . .

The Supreme Court-Eminent Domain-A Conundrum

The Supreme Court recently handed down a very controversial decision regarding a case in New London, Connecticut.What does that have to do with my web site? The fact that this decision can effect the economic well being of us all I think it falls within the purview of Caveat Emptor.When I first became aware of this decision, I was appalled that the Supreme Court would allow a city or a state to. . .

Are Employers Less Likely to Hire Muslims?

Research conducted at Davenport University by Murad Ali indicates that Muslims are the least likely out of all other ethnic groups to be hired by employers. Participants were students enrolled in either the MBA program or in business undergraduate courses. The type of full-time work the students engaged in ranged from entry level to senior executive. Many of the MBA students were already manage. . .

ICANN Bullies ICANN

So many people trying to make a buck on the Internet, some trying to do it legitimately, some trying to scam everyone, and others that are just plain stupid.Let start with the first category, the ones who want to make a buck legitimately. This is a good thing. However, you need to know certain things. We don't like popups!Ads that flash on and off constantly are nauseating!We do not want ads to. . .

Mayor Villaraigosa and the Truth about Cats and Dogs

The earth is starting to tremble in the Los Angeles animal community because Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has refused to honor his January 2005 campaign promise to fire the General Manager of Los Angeles Animal Services Guerdon Stuckey, and this broken promise has drawn attention to a potential scandal involving a loss of $1.1 million to the city over the next three years. Even fiscally responsib. . .

Why We Are So Frustrated

According to some medical theories, our bodies are engineered to live for at least 120 years. Even with the disease fighting advances in medicine, I doubt that most of us will ever be able to live that long. The reason is basically that life is just too mentally trying, and we are slowly killing or mutating our cells with our minds because of our daily challenges. Most people are addicted to so. . .

Should We Worry About Immigrant Assimilation and Education?

Yes, they are important to our future!Many of tomorrow's workers and business owners are the children of today's immigrants. More than 40% of the growth of our labor force in the late 1990s was due to immigrants, and since immigration WILL continue, they are important to our future growth. A concern is certainly that many of today's Hispanic/Latino immigrants are uneducated and unskilled: this . . .

Preparing for the Next Terror Attack -- Are We Ready?

Intelligence experts believe that it is only a matter of time before there is another terrorist attack in the U.S. With the recent scares in New York and Baltimore and the deadly terrorist bombings in Bali, Egypt, London and Madrid, these attacks are aimed at striking terror among millions of people. Of rising concerns is the fear that terrorists will use biological chemicals against us. What . . .

War, What is it Good For

War is on everyone's mind, and it is our first thought before peace is even considered. Thoughts of peace are trigged by the thoughts of war.Society has a passion for war, and it offers all of us something personal, and an opportunity to express ourselves without limits. After all if you hate your enemy, what's he going to do, shoot you? War gives everyone an opportunity to demonstrate one's fe. . .

Physics and the Bible Both Suggest Natural Causes for Glo...

What the Bible says that could be applied to global warming.The book of Romans contains a wealth of wisdom for the Creation scientist and anyone else wanting to learn something about the natural world. Chapter 1 is a good starting place, as it explains how nature (Creation) so clearly reveals God that to deny His existence is insane.In chapter 8, we read that “creation groans.” The earth, and e. . .

America Is Being Invaded

Every year, 741,000 people are entering America illegally through the border into California, Arizona, and Texas from Mexico. They don't care that our government is wasting over ten billion dollars in tax money supporting them, they don't care that your children are being forced to learn and interact in Spanish in their schools, and they don't care that our health system is suffering greatly, s. . .

Income Trusts Insider Information

Confessions to CARP and 50 Plus and to all Canadian Seniors:If the Ontario Securities Commission is still searching for the Culprit who leaked to the public, Finance Minister Goodale's "good news" information on taxing Income Trusts, they need look no further. I will fess up and take the blame. Rest vindicated CARP and 50 Plus. I believe you. You did nothing wrong. This I understand after readi. . .

The Rights of the Guilty - A Treatise on Crime and Punish...

IntroductionWhen philosophers and social critics speak of justice, there is always a great emphasis spoken about protecting the public by imprisoning those who pose a harm to the public. Then, with observations upon the mechanics of society, these philosophers sought out not only to defend the public, but to defend those accused by the public. To simply imprison a man or woman on a crime was . . .

The Rights of Squatters

"The finder of something which the owner was probably sorry to lose, cannot take it up with the intention of withholding it from the owner when he comes to inquire. But when the owner does not appear, the finder has a right to retain it for himself."-- Samuel Von Pufendorf, "The Rights and Duties of Man and Citizen," Book 1, Chapter 13I had always believed, before I was adoringly aquianted with. . .

Socialism in the United States

One of the reasons for the demise of the Soviet Union and other forms of communism, was because such governments opposed the private ownership of things. The government used socialism to try to control what a person could own or even hope to achieve throughout his or her life.Initially capitalism was based on the idea that an individual can own what one desires if one chooses to work for it. Un. . .

Crime and Punishment

I can’t get too excited about victimless crimes, that is to say crimes in which the only victim is the person committing it. Those who want to self-destruct – provided the consequences are not shouldered by others – have the right to do it. Everyone has the moral responsibility for their own person.Crimes against others is another matter. Nobody has the right to inflict physical harm on another. . .

The Bitch - and Xmas!

Well darlings,Bah! Humbug! It's that time of year again - it's Christmas! This is the time when it seems everybody must spread their cheer. As we fight our way through the throngs of shoppers pushing, shoving, standing on each other's toes and fighting tooth and nail for the very last item on the shelf to the strains of Slade's Merry Xmas Everybody, a sound amplified to distortion as it attempt. . .

He Will Confirm A Covenant With Many...The U.S.-Israel St...

DRIVING THE U.S.-ISRAEL “STRATEGIC DIALOGUE”“Strategic Dialogue” talks between the U.S. and Israel—were commenced in earnest at the end of November, 2005 (U.S. State Dept. Bulletin). These “talks” are propelled to their inevitable conclusion (i.e., the U.S.-ISRAEL DEFENSE PACT/TREATY) by Iran’s preposterous charges this past week: No Jewish Holocaust under Hitler; Israel is a “Zionist-Europea. . .

Would Illegal Immigrants Register for Guest Worker Visas?

They might if they believed that they wouldn’t regret it later.When all the politicians talk about immigration reform, are they really planning or even wanting to do something new? It helps the economy and many businesses to have workers who earn very low wages. It would in turn, hurt the economy to lose all these workers.The House plan to build a wall on the border probably won’t pass in the S. . .

Elections in Iraq and the Future of the War?

Voting in Iraq has wrapped up and officials are counting ballets to determine who the winners are. It is believed that the turnout was somewhere around 11 million which is an unprecedented number for a new Iraq (al-Naji, S & al-Saiedi, A, 2005). Not all has gone smoothly and Sunni’s have issued a number of complaints that range from fraud to violence. Of the 692 complaints of violations 20 of t. . .

Attention Democrats

Attention far left Democrats and all the rest, of you Democrats, who are too afraid of the far left or to hungry for power to stand up for America. Stop insulting me, stop ridiculing me, stop trying to run my life, stop trying to take away my freedoms and stop endangering me and my loved ones. I know that you have never met me, don't know me and don't even know I exist. I am not famous, not ric. . .

Democrats Versus Republicans, The Battle Is Almost Over

The following are the opinions of the author and although I believe them to be true I am not stating them as anything other than my opinions. Ever since the time of Abe Lincoln, Democrats and Republicans have been fighting for control of the United States Of America. In the beginning, both political parties contained liberals, moderates and conservatives. As time wore on the Democratic Party mo. . .

Affirmative Action

I have said before that I detest the slaughter of animals because it is tantamount to Racism. I hold an incalculable hatred for Affirmative Action, though, because it is Racism! To this Affirmative Action -- does it not lift value off of the shoulders of courage and skill and put the value on the shoulders of skin color and race? Does it not discourage intellectual development and foster ign. . .

An Alternative to Nazism

This one is for Renita...IntroductionWhen speaking of Nazism, and the ranks that have existed under the ideas of anti-Semitism, one typically also includes others, such as the Ku Klux Klan, White Pride militants, the "Creativity" Movement, among other groups that are of a nationalist and racialist opinion. When I speak of Nazism, I am referring to those who have a particular anti-Semitism and . . .

America: Police State Incorporated

Dedication...To my street crew...Jeff Stewart, Pockets, Humble, Twitch, Stray, Skittles, Bear, Beast, and Johnny and Heather...IntroductionUnlike many of my other works, this piece is not about theory or ideology. It does not discuss evidence, or reasoning, or logic, as to the ideas that I believe about society. Rather, it is a confession, of the things I have witnessed, as I was a homeless p. . .

The Science of Science!

What is Science!?First of all, Science! is not the same as science. Science! is the study and knowledge of all things scientific, quasiscientific, or pseudoscientific. Anything that is obscure, incoherent, or improbable is made clear by the purveyor of Science! (also known as the Scientist!). The Scientist! has access to knowledge that even scientists do not have access to. They are truly t. . .

ICommunityFoundation – A Concept Whose Time Has Come

There has been much focus on the digital divide and the threat that underserved populations would be left even further behind as the digital revolution changes every aspect of our society. The human services nonprofit organization plays a large role in the dealing with the issues of the underserved communities in our society and play a pivotal role in bridging the digital divide. Nonprofits c. . .

Dear Secretary Snow; Give the Fair Tax a Fair Chance

I understand that there is an enormous inertia in the present tax system. The incremental complication of the tax code over the last 80 years has given birth to an entire industry that is fully capable of defending their turf.These are challenging times. The American people are equally unhappy with this administration and the Democratic opposition over the handling of the war in Iraq. There . . .

Cities, States and Others Step up Action on Climate Chang...

Last year, Pentagon defense adviser Andrew Marshall issued a harsh warning of the consequences of climate change: mass chaos, national security crises and food shortages. If climate change occurs abruptly, the report declared, there could be a catastrophic breakdown in international security. Wars over access to food, water, and energy would likely break out between states. Even if climate cha. . .

Supreme Clowns

Is it just me or are the dunces in the U.S. Senate totally unqualified to pass judgment on Supreme Court nominees? They have been entrusted with a duty that can have no meaning. They can’t do their job because they have no clue what questions to ask. They have to know your dreams and visions, your mistakes and your private conversations to get any idea what questions to ask. Reveal your. . .

Smoke And Mirrors

Republicans are using a smokescreen but they also are in the process of turning against the war and demanding a withdrawal. What became of all the hot rhetoric about being tough on terrorism, that Iraq was the center of the war on terrorism, and that to do anything less than stay the course in Iraq would be an insult to our troops AND leave the place in the hands of Al Qaeda?We've been down thi. . .

Assimilation or Multi-culturalism: That is the Question

Maybe we need a combination of the two.What does it mean to be American? Does it mean everyone talks the same and looks the same and believes the same things? Does it mean forgetting everything that our parents and grandparents had to go through to get to this country? Does it mean forgetting all the customs and foods and stories they were raised with? Wouldn't that be awfully hard to do? And w. . .

Assault on the American Homeowner

Sixty-nine percent of Americans are homeowners, and they are under siege. A number of "unfriendly" policies, proposals and court decisions within the past year have produced an atmosphere which is arguably antithetical to the American dream of carving out a slice of the apple pie and plopping a single family residence on it. The assault weapons have catchy titles, such as inclusionary zoning, s. . .